Skip to content Sarah N. Turner

Lawyers

Seattle
701 Fifth Avenue
Suite 2100
Seattle, WA 98104


Portland
1300 SW Fifth Avenue
Suite 2000
Portland, OR 97201


Spokane
421 W. Riverside Avenue
Suite 1555
Spokane, WA 99201


Tri-Cities
8350 W. Grandridge Boulevard
Suite 200
Kennewick, WA 99336


Education

J.D., cum laude, New England School of Law, 2002

  • New England School of Law Service Award

B.A., University of California, San Diego, 1997

Clerkships

Massachusetts Superior Court Judicial Clerkship

Honors

Listed in Super Lawyers® Top 50 Women Lawyers in Washington (2019 & 2020, Law & Politics)

Super Lawyers® distinction in the fields of Employment Litigation: Defense, Insurance Coverage, Employment & Labor, and Employee Benefits (2016-2023, Law & Politics)

Rising Stars® distinction in the fields of Employment Litigation: Defense; Employment & Labor; and Employee Benefits/ERISA (2010-2012, 2014, Law & Politics)

Best Lawyers in America® distinction in Employment Law - Management (2024-2025), Litigation - Labor and Employment (2024-2025)

Biography

Sarah Turner is an active partner with the Employment/Labor and ERISA practice groups and one of the national leaders of the Firm’s Cannabis, Hemp & CBD practice group. She represents clients in Washington and Oregon and is a Co-Managing Partner of the firm's Seattle office.

Sarah's Employment and Labor practice focuses on employers and includes a hybrid of counseling and litigation.  She is an experienced litigator who has represented and defended employers in matters involving claims for wrongful discharge, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, privacy, defamation, ADA, leave and benefits, breach of contract, violation of non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, and wage and hour.  She practices in both Washington and Oregon’s state and federal trial and appellate courts, and her practice includes arbitrations before American Arbitration Association and Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services.  Sarah also has experience representing clients before federal and state agencies including the National Labors Relations Board, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Department of Labor, Department of Health, Washington’s Labor & Industries, Washington’s Human Rights Commission, Employee Security Department, Seattle Office of Civil Rights, Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries, and other state and local administrative agencies.

In addition to litigating employment disputes, she provides employers with guidance and recommendations on a broad range of workplace issues including, discipline and termination of employees; wage and hour requirements; addressing reasonable accommodation and disability issue; and union-related issues from handling grievances to traditional labor disputes involving unfair labor practices and federal preemption issues.  Her counseling practice also includes advising employers on their requirements under the Affordable Care Act and ERISA-related issues, including reviewing benefit summary plan descriptions; drafting employment contracts, severance agreements, employee handbooks, and drug and alcohol policies and testing (with a focus on cannabis in the workplace).  

She remains active in the firm's COVID-19 response team where during the pandemic she provided counseling, guidance, trainings, and drafting of workplace policies on employer’s response to the pandemic, remote working, coronavirus federal legislation, and respective state orders. She is currently assisting employers navigate to other workplace models including remote and hybrid work, and flexible schedules. 

Sarah, one of the national leaders of the firm’s Cannabis, Hemp, and CBD practice groups, is active in educating attorneys, employers, and others affected by the legalization of cannabis.  This includes providing guidance on state regulations, laws affecting the employer’s workplace drug policies, and drafting drug and alcohol policies and testing guidelines.  She also represents businesses and individuals in cannabis-related employment matters, and contract and partnership disputes. 

Sarah is committed to educating on employment and cannabis-related issues and she often is presenting nationwide or writing on these topics. She has presented live and on webinars for Strafford Publication, Federal Bar, Washington State Bar, National Business Institute, Federated Insurance, and organizations nationwide.  Her writings are published in Law360, Employee Relations Law Journal, Washington Defense Trial Lawyers Defense News, AMEC- Media and Entertainment Counsel, DRI ERISA Report, and National Business Institute.

Admissions

  • Washington
  • Oregon
  • Massachusetts
  • U.S. District Courts, Washington, Eastern and Western District
  • U.S. District Court, Oregon
  • U.S. Courts, District of Massachusetts
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Memberships

  • American Bar Association
  • Washington State Bar Association
  • Oregon State Bar Association
  • King County Bar Association
  • Washington Defense Trial Lawyers
  • Defense Research Institute

Community Involvement

  • ProVisors Seattle
Experience
Publications & Presentations
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